


Silence Of The Lamb

by ColorFilledDreams



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Bill Cipher Returns, Five Years Later, OC POV, OC: Ethan Thomas, Other, Post-Weirdmageddon, Returning to Gravity Falls
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-04-18 15:25:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14216100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColorFilledDreams/pseuds/ColorFilledDreams
Summary: The twins return to Gravity Falls. Five years had passed since the end of Weirdmageddon and Bill Cipher, much to everyone's relief, yet something was missing for the twins. They missed the mysteries and adventures. What better way to fill the void than to return to their favorite place on earth and bring a friend along?





	1. Welcome To The Falls

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy! (short and sweet amiright? :3)

I watched as trees passed by in a blur of green and brown, the sun casting light into the bus and making it seem like a serene place. If it weren't for the two siblings next to me talking so loud, I probably would have been able to sleep through the ride. Dipper and Mabel Pines, my friends since middle school. Both are polar opposites that somehow have a good relationship. Well, I say good, but Mabel could really work on her selfishness if I'm being honest. She's a good friend, but man, she will get her way no matter what. Dipper, on the other hand, was as selfless as a saint. He'd give up a kidney if he had to. Despite those differences, they had a good relationship. 

The ride to Gravity Falls, Oregon, was bumpy and honestly, I would have preferred to stay at home. But the twins insisted that I come to their 'favorite place in the world', and I ultimately couldn't refuse them. It might be fun, but it sounded like such a backwater town that I doubted anything interesting would happen this summer. Though when I expressed these thoughts, they gave each other a weird grin and laughed in a strange way. As if they knew something I didn't, which is really annoying. But here we are, on the bus, heading to a remote town in the middle of nowhere. Can't say I'm to excited, but at least I get time away from home..

The rest of the ride was filled with idle talk and about five minutes of sleep with each hour that passed. It was a long and boring ride, so when the bus stopped, I was happy to grab my luggage and get off. I was behind the twins when we stepped onto a dirt path that lead to an old looking shack, a broken sign reading Mystery Hack. I only noticed the 's' on the ground when I saw a goat eating a can nearby. Seriously? A goat? Was this town really so backwater that it had a goat? I looked around and saw an old Columbus Muscle Car sitting in a grass parking lot and some knick knacks hanging around the area, basically just attraction props.

Was this really their favorite place in the world? It looked so fake.

"Ethan, what are you standing around for? Come on!" 

I looked up to see Mabel and Dipper walking up the path to the shack, sighing to myself as I follow. "You're gonna love it here, Ethan! I know you will!" Mabel said excitedly. I gave a half-hearted smile and nodded. "Sure, Mabel." I said simply. Dipper had given me a knowing look. He knew what tones I used meant, and he knew that my tone was filled with hidden skepticism. Dipper was the one I was closest to, so of course he would know what I was really thinking when I spoke. Walking inside the shack, I found a gift shop full of items for sale, along with a red-headed cashier wearing a hat with a pine tree on it while reading magazines and lounging in the chair. Quite the worker there.

She looked up and saw the twins, a big smile growing on her face. "Guys, you made it!" She stood up quickly and hugged both of them tightly,clearly not noticing me at all as of yet. I didn't mind, the reunion was pretty cute. The red-head pulled back and took off her hat, taking Dipper's fluffy hat and switching them so that Dipper now wore the pine tree hat. "Glad you kept it safe, dude!" The girl said, making it clear that the hat was once hers. Dipper laughed, rubbing his neck while Mabel began the conversation. "It's been a while, Wendy! How have you been?" She asked, to which Wendy began a whole dialog of what had happened over the five years the twins had been gone.

I stood awkwardly in the doorway, guitar case and duffel bag growing heavy after a few long moments of no movement. I set them both down, the case making a thud and causing all three friends to look at me. I stared awkwardly as I put my hands in my pockets. "Sorry. You guys can continu-!" I was grabbed into a choke-hold, a fist grinding into my head. "So this is the mop-haired guy you two mentioned? He looks a lot smaller than I imagined." I heard the red-head say while I tried to get out of the strong grip. "That hurts! Let go!" I yelled, causing her to let go as i held my head in a bit of pain. They all laughed, which was very annoying.

"Sorry dude! I didn't think you were tender headed!" Wendy said with a big smile while crossing her arms. I glared at her, but she didn't seem to notice. "Where am I staying?" I asked in an annoyed tone. The girls were laughing and carrying on while Dipper seemed to understand what was happening. He knew I had issues with being touched, knew that I hated physical contact with a burning passion, and yet he looked passed that and we became friends. Mabel had never learned that I hated physical contact because she never bothered to listen when Dipper or I were about to mention it. Honestly, it was always such a pain to deal with that.

"This way, Ethan. You can stay in Great Uncle Ford's room. He and Gruncle Stan are out on another mission." Dipper said as he lead me up the stairs and to the upstairs bedroom. It looked ore like an attic with moldy beams, a weird window with a triangular shape, two beds on either side of the room, a closet, and some other casual bedroom accessories. "Sorry about Wendy. She's a little rough around the edges." Dipper apologized, but I gave him a genuine yet small smile. "Don't worry about it. You can explain it to her later." I said reassuringly. He gave me a wide smile. "Well hurry up and unpack so I can show you the greatest thing about Gravity Falls!" He said excitedly, leaving the room before I could say another word. 

Sighing softly to myself, i chose the bed to the right and began unpacking. After a few minutes, I was done and laid myself down on the bed while staring at the ceiling. My thoughts were a blur as I stayed like that for a few minutes, staring at the nothingness of the wood. Turning over to my side and staring out the window above, seeing the sun setting with rays of gold casting into the room, I watched as birds flew by. "Welcome to the falls, Ethan. Let's hope you can make it through the summer."


	2. Meeting The Townsfolk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dipper decides to show Ethan around town. Ethan soon learns some things about himself and the town itself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ten hits and three kudos!!! Thanks so much guys!  
> Also, since i didn't describe Ethan's appearance, He has milk chocolate skin, black eyes, and black hair. He has three scars across his face. Now that that's over with, Enjoy the chapter!!!

I walked down the stairs after changing into more comfortable clothes, a simple white shirt with comfortable jeans and a black button up to top it off. The twins were in the kitchen, talking about meeting up with some people and I wondered if it was their lovers. They both had mentioned having lovers here in the town, but I never really paid too much attention. Despite that, I decided to listen in on what they had to say. After all, I was curious to see who would be dating my friends.

"Do you think Pacifica would like these earrings I made her?" 

"I guess so, but honestly, doesn't she have enough jewelry?"

"Don't be like that! Besides, you and I both know Gideon has the same issue with those weird string ties he has around his neck all the time!"

They began to have a playful fight over who's date had more complicated fashion senses. It was kinda funny that they did this. Dipper was dating this Gideon person while Mabel dated Pacifica. Yep, both my friends are gay, and I'm no exception. Though I don't have a lover due to..reasons. These two have been dating their former enemies, as they called them, for nearly four years. Well, Dipper had been dating Gideon for three and a half, but I count it as four. How they managed to become friends is unknown to me, but I was glad my friends were happy with their relationships. Who was I to judge based on experiences I had never had?

While I was in my thoughts, I heard Mabel saying she was going to meet Pacifica, leaving as Dipper yelled at her to come back. "We were supposed to show Ethan around first!" He called out, though his attempts were futile. I rounded the corner with my usual small smile. "Sounds like she's excited. It's no wonder she ran off." I said calmly as Dipper looked up at me. He chuckled a bit and nodded. "Yeah, but she could have waited. Guess it's just you and me then." He said with a smile, standing up from his seat. "Let's go meet some old friends of mine!" He said while heading to the door. I followed behind, wondering what the people would be like.

The first place we stopped by was Greasy's Diner, and it was safe to say that I felt out of place. Everyone looked so lively and happy, eating their food and chatting with friends, yet when I walked in, I felt stared down. People looked at me as if I was a new specimen for a lab project or something. I knew why though. The scars on my face were enough to draw attention. Of course people would be curious about it. I was so off put by the stares that I froze up, not knowing what to do. Though just as I was about to get the heck out of there, everyone smiled and waved, going back to their conversations.

What felt like an eternity only turned out to be a few seconds. I realized this when dipper was calling me over to the counter and just sitting down. I walked over awkwardly, taking a seat beside him and sighing softly. "Lazy Susan, this is Ethan. Ethan, this is the diner's waitress, Lazy Susan." Dipper said, referring to and older woman with what appeared to be a lazy eye. She smiled wide, talking in a very cheerful voice. "Well, aren't you a cute one! Nice to meet ya!" She said, and i gave a small nod. "Nice to meet you too, Miss Susan." Gotta be polite, right? She seemed to like that as she gave a small giggle. "You're a nice one. Here! Have a pie! On the house since you're new here!" 

A hot pie was placed in front of me as she left to tend to other customers, and I found myself taken aback. I never expected that, nor did I expect that she wouldn't ask about the scars. Though I was glad she didn't. I looked at Dipper, who had a big grin on his face. "You were worried, huh?" He asked in a knowing tone."Yeah, a bit. You know I'm not to fond of being watched like a hawk." I said as I grabbed the fork that was placed out for me and took a bite out of the pie. "Woah..this is really good." I said in a quiet voice, glancing at Dipper and giving a smile. "I guess this isn't so bad. Meeting the people that is." I said softly. 

Dipper smiled and allowed me to enjoy the pie before saying we had to go. I nodded, thanked Susan for the pie, and then we were off. Meeting everyone in town was a lot nicer than I thought it would be. I met a bunch of possible friends, saw some funny cops, and even met the current Mystery Shack owner, Soos. His first name was Jesus, which was kinda funny cause he's probably the most selfless guy here. A true saint, if you catch my joke. As time passed and night was finally upon us, Dipper said we had one more place to drop by. I agreed, sensing that it was Gideon with the way Dipper was blushing. 

The walk to the house was quiet aside from Dipper's constant talk about how Gideon was kind of a jerk, but only to those he hates and whatnot. By the time we got there, I was convinced I was meeting a chubby Southern guy, but no. The guy who greeted us at the door was a slim, platinum haired, devilishly handsome stud. Dipper clearly hadn't been expecting it, his eyes wide and his face flushed red. "Why, Dipper, you look surprised. Didn't expect to see me lose weight, huh?" The accent this guy had was crisp and clear, making it hard not to listen to him. Dipper shook his head, rambling nonsense to try and justify himself.

It was cute seeing ow easily he can be flustered. Gideon looked over to me and tilted his head. "My word, Dipper. You didn't tell me you'd be bringing a friend over. I was hoping for some alone time after all these years." He said, sounding a bit rude, but I decided to ignore that. "Gideon, be nice! This is Ethan. He's my friend from middle school." Dipper said, talking on my behalf. Though I knew Dipper wanted me to stay, I felt that I had to be the good friend and not be the awkward third wheel. "Don't worry, Dipper. I think I'll just head back to the shack. My feet are killing me from all the walking." I said while turning to walk. 

"Ethan, you don't have to go!" Dipper called out. I turned around and gave them both a smile. "Dipper, you hadn't seen this guy in five years. I think it's best that you two catch up. I'll see you back at the shack." I said, seeing Gideon give me what seemed like a look of respect. Though I could be wrong. I began walking, yawning softly into my hand as I stretched. This day was so tiring and I was ready to grab a small snack and get to bed, though something caught my eye as I looked over to the woods. Something small darting into the bushes. Curious, I walked over, looking through the leaves. Maybe it was a cat or something.

Not finding anything in the immediate area, I went just a bit farther into the woods to search. Looking through bushes, fallen branches, and leaves, I found nothing. Not until I looked through another bush and felt something bite my hand. "OW!!" I yanked my hand back and saw..a small person with a beard? It was a small person with a pointed hat, snowy beard, and what looked like clothes straight from the Mario game. He growled as I tried to pry him off, eventually yanking him off and dropping him to the ground. The small person hissed like a cat and then ran off into the woods, leaving me stunned and with a bleeding hand. "What..was that?"


	3. Into The Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ethan goes in search of the human-like creature in the woods, but things don't go as planned.

I stared in awe at the woods, confused and curious of the tiny man that had bitten me. Looking down at my hand, I saw that I had a narrow bite wound with some blood dripping from the wound. It hurt, but not too bad. I looked at the shirt I was wearing, tearing off a piece of the fabric to wrap the wound in. Tearing it off was a pain and I really hated messing up a good shirt, but I couldn't just let the wound get infected. Once I was done, I watched the woods for another few moments, thinking of the pros and cons of going in search for the tiny person that bit me. The pros outweighed the cons.

I set out in search of the small humanoid, making sure to memorize whatever I could so that i could get out easily. The forest was very quiet, only filled with owls hooting and crickets chirping. It was a nice, relaxing place to be in. Some mushrooms grew in areas, letting off a lovely blue light as they glowed. I'd never seen such mushrooms before, and I thought they were beautiful. The forest thickened as I walked on, enjoying the sites I saw. Other strange yet beautiful plants crossed my path and I almost forgot why I was in the woods in the first place. I looked around, trying to remember the last landmark I memorized.

Walking back towards the way I guessed I came from, I looked around for the last marker I remembered. My search was in vain. It felt like hours had passed with no luck in finding anything familiar. I was lost. "Great. Just great. Now what am I gonna d-" I had turned, walking straight into a flower-covered tree. "Ow..." I opened my eyes to see dark powder flying from the flowers due to the impact, rubbing my eyes as a bit got into them. "Ugh, gross. What kind of pollen even is this?" I coughed a bit, the powder making me sneeze. That didn't help much. It just spread the stuff around. God, pollen was annoying.

When I opened my eyes again, I couldn't help but let out a scream. Those flowers..they were trying to bite me! I backed away, feeling something touch my shoulder. I looked and saw a branch, but the branch was wrapping around me, wood scraping against my clothes. I jerked back, trying to get away. "W-What the heck?!" I screamed, seeing almost everything around me in horrifying clarity. The trees were distorted and screaming out as they reached for me, the plants around having similar effects. I began to run. Running as fast as I could while screaming out for help. "Someone please help me!!! Please!!" I yelled, hoping someone would hear me.

I ran and ran as everything around me tried to grab at me. I got scratches and cuts everywhere from the trees and the other plants. My heart was racing, breath picking up almost every second. I felt like I was going to die at this rate. My thoughts were racing and I couldn't keep a single thing on my mind except to run. Though I regretted that when I came to a steep hill, unable to stop myself as I fell down. By the time I was at the bottom, I felt pain in my head, sides, and leg. I had no time to worry about it though, seeing as everything was still reaching out for me! I tried to run again, but my leg hurt and I just felt so dizzy. My world was spinning.

The last thing I remembered was weakly screaming out for help as my vision went black.


	4. Strange Helper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Injured and alone in the woods, Ethan meets an unlikely hero.

I woke up to a strange feeling on my face. Cold. Something cold was washing over me. I realized that water was being poured over me. It was freezing. Why would someone pour cold water on me while I was sleeping? I groaned, moving my arm to block the water and opened my eyes. "M-Mabel stop...it's cold.." I mumbled. As if by a flood, pain enveloped my body. I felt it in my head, my sides, and my leg. The worse pain came from my leg. "Alright guys, pull back- Hey!! Schmebulock! Stop biting his leg!!!" I heard voices and opened my eyes to see..little men.

They were all small and had beards, pointed hats, and small clothes that fit all of them. My eyes were wide and I was close to screaming as one of them continued to bite my clearly broken leg. The one with a darker brown beard glared at the one biting. "Schmebulock!! What did I just say?!" The one biting my leg backed off and only then did I realize it was the one that bit my hand previously. I looked at all of the small men, somewhat hyperventilating as I stared at each one. "W-Who are you?! What are you doing?!" I yelled, freaking out and not knowing what would happen next. 

"Woah, kid, relax! We're trying to help!" The brown bearded one said. I guess I looked worse than I thought, cause he was eyeing me with a careful stare, even his movements being careful. "My name is Jeff. I take it you ran into the haluciflora?" I blinked in confusion. "Haluciflora? What is that?" I asked, groaning as I tried to sit up. "Woah woah woah! Don't move yet! We aren't done taking care of those wounds!" Jeff yelled, pointing to my sides which had been covered in a weird, greenish paste. "What is that stuff?" I asked, to which Jeff proudly responded "It's a paste made with herbs that are meant to treat wounds such as these. They weren't as serious as the rest of your body."

I gave a small nod, sighing softly. "If you don't mind me asking, what are you?" "I'm a gnome! And these guys are my fellow gnomes. We found you lying here in a heap of your own blood with the haluciflora pollen on your face mixed with the blood, so we decided to help out since we know what that plant can do to a human if not taken care of quickly." Jeff explained. I gave a small nod, reaching up to feel my head. I could feel a cut on my head, but couldn't tell how bad it was, and then I looked at my leg. It wasn't as bad as I initially thought, but I could tell I would need a cast on it. "What a way to start the summer." I sighed to myself.

Jeff seemed to know something, grinning with a strange look on his face. "Do you want to heal your leg?" He asked. I looked at him and nodded. "Yes, though I'd have to go to a hospital for that." He shook his head and motioned for some of the gnomes to come over. In a matter of seconds, they were climbing onto each other and forming a larger gnome out of themselves. Large enough to help me off the ground and give me a shoulder to lean on. "..Cool." I said, making Jeff grin with pride. "Boys, make sure to keep his broken leg off the ground. Follow me." And with that, Jeff led the way while the other gnomes helped me walk close behind.

It was an awkward walk, pointy hats poking me from time to time when the gnomes tried to keep themselves together and Jeff talking about the wonders of being a gnome. I, for one, was focused on the pain. My leg and head hurt so bad that I found it hard to really focus on what he was saying. Walking was the only thing I put my mind to. But something in the distance caught my eye. It looked like something wedged in the ground, but I wasn't sure what it was and wasn't too worried about it right now. "Jeff..how much longer...I feel like I'm gonna pass out again." I mumbled.

"Almost there, kid. Just try to stay awake a bit longer. Trust me, you'll be glad you did."


	5. Unicorns and Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You remember Mabel and her adventure to find the unicorns, right?

I did as Jeff said, keeping my focus on walking and doing my best to stay awake as we walked into a clearing. It was large and fairly nice compared to the thick woods. I found myself staring at the fireflies that flew from the grass as we walked further. "Stop! Modwitz, come do the chant!" Jeff called out. A rather large and burly gnome came out from the foot of the gnome holding me, causing all the others and myself to fall. "Dang it, Modwitz!!! Why were you at the bottom?!" "Because the bottom is where the strong support the team." The husky and deep voice of the gnome surprised me, but what surprised me more was the strange words coming from his mouth within seconds of his explanation.

Once he was finished, the ground began to shake and a large structure grew from the grass and towered over all of us. "What is that?!" I asked as I supported myself with my elbows. "The home of the unicorns! The water within their home has healing properties, thus the reason Celestabellebethabelle was able to survive the..uh..well nevermind." Jeff opened the large door to the unicorn's home. What was he about to say? I had to admit, despite my aching pain, I felt a need to know. The gnomes that had fallen were now back to being the one gnome and helped me back up, walking me inside with Jeff.

Once inside, I had the strangest feeling that hippies had the right idea when they painted their vans. The waterfall had a rainbow from the mist and it was just...really girly. Though the unicorn laying by the pond the falls ended at was nothing like the ones on vans. Not silver or pure white, but rainbow hair and a weirdly shaped tail. The horn looked odd, but I didn't really care about that. The eyes were freaking me out. They were so large and sparkly that I would never be able to look that creature in the eyes. "Clestabelle! Baby! Listen, I need a favor." "Oh no you don't! You still owe me that horn paste you promised."

I watched as the two bickered, both I and the other gnomes staring in what I assumed was confusion along with that 'are you kidding me' face. "Okay okay! We're getting off track! I will get you your paste, but I need your help! This kid got injured badly after coming in contact with the haluciflora." Jeff motioned to me, and I looked down out of shame and embarrassment. "I see...well...He's certainly not doing well. I suppose I could help him...For a price." I looked up at her, tilting my head in a bit of confusion. "Price? What could I possibly give to a unicorn?" I asked, finding myself getting riled up over something that hadn't even been said yet,

"Calm down, boy. It's nothing you can't handle, even in your current state. All I want is for you to bring me something of value. Whether it be big or small. And make sure it's shiny and polished to perfection! I have standards you know." I was beginning to think this unicorn more resembles a dragon, asking for something shiny and valuable. Of course I didn't have much, but maybe I could buy something instead. Surely that would suffice. "Alright. I'll have to do it tomorrow though. All the stores are closed right now, I don't have many shiny things in my possession." I explained, and she seemed content.

"Follow me." The unicorn turned and walked ahead towards the pond, the gnomes helping me over. Once there, the unicorn made a rather embarrassing request. "You have to take off your clothes to get in. Otherwise, your clothes would no longer fit you due to shrinking." I couldn't help the faint blush that spread across my face. "I'm not getting in naked! That's inappropriate to do, especially in front of a lady!" Maybe that was a bit too flattering, but it seemed to make her happy. "Well, I suppose I might have something you could wear. One moment." I sighed in relief, glad to know I wouldn't be naked in front of so many people. Well, gnomes and a unicorn.

"Nice going, kid. You actually got her to do something nice without persuasion." Jeff said as he pat my back after climbing up the other gnomes. "All I did was be honest. A little nobility never hurt anyone either. I wouldn't want to be naked in front of a bunch of tiny men a one unicorn. it's embarrassing and just weird. For everyone." I said as I leaned a bit more onto the gnomes. I started getting dizzy again, but I did my best to keep the others from noticing. "Look kid, I don't know how you do it, but you've got a way with words. Use that. It could definitely come in handy one day." Before i could respond, the unicorn returned.


	6. Healed and Headed Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ethan, Celestabelle, and the gnomes have a moment before Ethan goes back to the Mystery Shack!

In her mouth was a pair of silk shorts, golden and as shiny as a new coin. What bothered me was the fact that a unicorn had shorts at all. She promptly put the shorts on the ground in front of me. "You may wear these, but I demand that they be thoroughly washed and not damaged during the time they are in your care." She said as i bent down to pick it up. "You can change behind that tree over there. Just don't leave a mess." I nodded and gave her a small smile as I headed to the tree. I stopped in my tracks when I heard extra feet behind me. Turning, I saw Jeff following.

"What are you doing?" I asked, but he walked up and pushed my leg. "Just keep going, kid. I need to talk to you. Privately." I was confused and honestly didn't feel like dealing with this, but Jeff and his gang had helped me so far. It was only fair that I listened to what he had to say. Once at the tree, I walked behind while Jeff stayed in front. "What did you need to talk about?" I asked. "Kid, I have to tell ya, you got something I didn't expect to see in a long time. Honestly, you scare me more than anything." He said. I was confused, yet continued to take off my clothes. "What do you mean?"

I could hear Jeff sigh. "You are the scariest thing in this forest as of right now. I mean, come on. You even got a unicorn to help you without much complaint. Do you know how hard it is to even get a look at a unicorn without hearing them complain? It's like trying to get a butterfly to swim!" I couldn't help but laugh at that. Was he really getting frustrated over the fact that I got a unicorn to be nice? "Jeff, I don't see why you're so upset. It can't be that hard to just be nice and talk to someone for you guys." I said as I walked around from behind the tree, carrying my clothes in hand as I wore the strangely uncomfortable shorts.

Jeff seemed confused, but then paused as he saw me. He wouldn't be the first to stare. I had scars all over my torso and legs. "What the heck happened to you?" Jeff was stunned. "Oh. Well..." I started walking, leading Jeff back over to the unicorn. "A few years ago, I woke up in the hospital covered in large gashes. The doctors said I was attacked by an animal, but it was odd cause it seemed to only care about fatal areas of my body. I only had a few scratches on my arms and legs, but these scars are what really could have ended my life. Problem is, I don't remember a single thing before waking up. The government had no records of me, so they gave me an identity."

"Sounds rough, kid. But at least you're alive." Jeff said as Celestabelle spoke up. "I'll give you thirty minutes in the water. Less time for the water to be dirty." I smiled a bit and nodded. "No problem. I don't want to waste anymore time than I need to." I said, looking at Jeff who urged me to go into the water. It was an awkward few moments getting in, the shorts feeling odd around my legs once I sat down into the chilling water. "It's cold!" I said, wrapping my arms around my chest as I felt my body shiver a little. "Yes, well, the night air has that effect on water. You'll be okay for now." The unicorn spoke.

Thirty minutes passed, and during that time I'd gotten used to the chill. Enough that I could dip my head under the water a few times. Each time, I could feel my headaches and dizziness getting less prominent. By the time the thirty minutes were up, I felt all better. I wasn't in pain and my leg didn't look broken anymore. I got out, going to change really quick while Jeff and Celestabelle talked with each other. It felt nice being in warmer clothes, but I made sure to fold the shorts I'd been wearing neatly so I could carry them home and clean them properly.

"Jeff, could you lead me out of the woods?" I asked as I approached the two creatures. Both of them seemed to jump when I spoke, but didn't seem to be too worried as Jeff stood up and grinned. "No problem, kid! Let's get ya outta here." Both Jeff and I left after saying a few goodbyes to Celestabelle and gathering the other gnomes, treading through the woods at a calm pace that I could keep up with by myself without having to burden Jeff or the other gnomes. "I owe you one, Jeff. You saved me back there." I said with a smile. "Well, kid, just do me one favor." Jeff looked up at me with a strangely concerned look. "Don't come near the gnomes again."


End file.
